Menu

Welcome to The Project For Girls! This is a space carved out for you, the girls! With content for teens and tweens, written by teens and tweens, we talk to successful girls everywhere, capturing their drive and spark.

Our hope is that it creates a safe space for inspiration and dialogue. To share ideas. To wildly inspire. But, most of all, to be honest. So lets start talking!

xo, Lauri

June 21, 2017

Lana Mahook

The Girl Next DoorIrvine, CAPhotos and Story by Lauri Levenfeld

We were immediately struck by Lana Mahook’s TPFG Super Girl Contest entry. Lana is many things; a good person, a dedicated family member, and a determined academic. But what we love most is her honesty and her ability to articulate herself as a happy person with a happy life. Rather than denouncing her gifts in life, she appreciates all that she has been given. Her #superpower is a quiet, gracefulness…someone ready to take on every opportunity given andmake it something special. On the morning of her birthday, we talk to this “girl next door” about her day to day life and how she makes the most of each moment. This doesn’t always end perfectly, but Lana has made it her ultimate goal to take on each day and make it a happy one. This story is about an inner drive and devotion to being good and making good choices.

Rachel Kramer

EntrepreneurCarlsbad, CAPhotos and Story by Lauri Levenfeld

It has been a joy getting to know Rachel Kramer. She is a girl after our own hearts. Her stories of crafting businesses at such an early age remind us of our own young concoction of enterprises. And we love her tenacity and spirit! Rachel doesn’t want to be on Shark Tank, she wants to be a shark! And while her entrepreneurial instinct will pave the way in her business ventures, it is her heart that will give her the depth for success. Kramer has not only createda great business plan for her latest venture in sewing, but one that benefits herself and the precious puppies she loves so dearly. We stopped by The Vanderpump Dog Rescue Center, the latest innovation in dog shelters and referred to by many as the “puppy palace” (complete with chandeliers and all), to sample Rachel’s creations on some adorable four-legged friends and to hear more of the story that got her started.

Clare Noelle

Black BeltPhoenix, ArizonaStory & Photos by Lauri Levenfeld

As teens, there are inevitably awkward and uncomfortable times where we question who we are. And times when friends and others confront us to follow the pack and share their views. But what do you do when your passions tell you to follow a different path, to lead with your heart rather than by what you peers think? For Clare Noelle, a martial arts expert growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, she too has not been immune to the taunting and bullying of others. Yet through the mastering of her craft, she has gained confidence to stand up for what she believes, as well as compassion, understanding, and respect forothers and their opinions. Noelle chooses to concentrate her energies on positivity and building her dreams, rather than on negativity and excluding others. One of her biggest goals to surround herself by super girls, those who lift her up and empower her even more. Today, she shares a bit on how she stays true to herself and offers up ways we can all benefit from social media (one of her fave ways to share & communicate) by protecting ourselves, creating community, and staying supportive and positive for all girls.

Jovina & Joys Annika G. David

Sisters & Pre-Med StudentsMalibu, CAStory & Photos by Lauri Levenfeld

When we received the submission of Jovina David for TPFG Super Girl Contest last December, we were astounded. Not only were her academic achievements unheard of (attending university at 13), but it was her big-picture concepts, her desire to change the world, and her empathy and compassion for others. And then her sister came along, Joys Annika G. David, who just like her big sis was enrolled in college (at 11 years old) and who looked at the worldas her ever-evolving canvas, one which she could shape her passions and ambitions into goals not many would dream of. What we find striking about the two is their ability to dream big, try new things and go outside of their comfort zone. To choose to live life differently than what is paved before them…and to choose to do this side by side together as sisters and best friends.

Odessa Simone Shlain Goldberg

As one of our ten nominees for TPFG’s Super Girl Contest, it was Odessa Goldberg’s conviction in her words and her self-confidence that made us stop in our tracks and realize the strength, wisdom and potential of this inspiring teen. Odessa is open, honest and willing to ask questions. She is ready and willing to strike up a conversation on relevant and important conversations that mean something to her and her process. In the opening paragraph of her essay for TPFG, she explains…“If I’m a supergirl, it’s simply because I know of a superpower: the breathtaking power of words. We all use words: it’s how we communicate, how we share, how we coexist in this world, but overthese past years I have only began to understand how brilliant, magical and transformative words can be if used correctly.” In this day and age, with social media as one of our largest forms of communication, we all need to understand a little deeper how powerful our words can be. And how we can manage our words better in the face of others. A valuable lesson to be learned and something our TPFG platform feels very passionate in striving towards for our girls. We are here to create community and empower a platform that is safe where girls come together. Odessa Goldberg is one teen certainly paving the way…

Grace Wethor

As one of our Super Girl nominees, Grace Wethor’s story about surviving a brain tumor hit us hard at The Project for Girls. At 15, no kid should go through the worry, stress and pain that Grace has. But Grace truly is a supergirl in every way and while the diagnosis hasn’t been pretty (the tumor is inoperable), she has overcome with bravery, joy, love, and compassion. Wethor and her mom have not lost hope in any way, they live life presently and look to find alternative, natural treatments. This is truly Grace’s greatest gift, her ability to channel courage and fight this disease while upholding a positive message and course of action… staying true to herself and leading life daily by the things she loves to do. We can all learn a lot from this young lady. Right now, we all have the chance to live our most authentic lives.

Anna Zhang

When Anna Zhang’s story came in via our TPFG Supergirl Contest, we couldn’t believe our eyes. A 15-year old with so many accomplishments, but more importantly a heart of gold. A girl dedicated to igniting the voices of teens everywhere through her magazine Pulse Spikes and to giving back via her first book Ignite, which dedicated proceeds to helping homeless youth and stopping child trafficking through her partnership with Covenant House.Anna embodies everything that we stand for at TPFG and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on board as our 2017 Ambassador. To kick off the party, we invited her down to LA for a dream shoot via our generous sponsor BCBGeneration. The shoot also included some of our fave gals including Disney’s Ariana Greenblatt and Francesca Capaldi. Anna’s story will no doubt inspire all- giving you the strength to conquer your fears and face the unknown.

Odessa Simone Shlain Goldberg

This: millions of men and women of all ages across the world peacefully protesting for what they believe in, is what democracy looks like. This past weekend I along with many others took the streets. On Thursday afternoon I boarded a plane with my dad, mom and sister to the capital of our country: Washington DC. I wore a shirt with suffragette emblazoned on it. On the plane, many people wore pink pointed hats in defiance.

It was my first time in the capital. Wide eyed, I gaped at the Washington Monument swathed in night. We pulled up at the Watergate Hotel, the infamous hotel where the Nixon scandal occurred.

But this hotel has embraced the scandal, making Nixon’s resignation speech what it plays when you’re on hold. The next morning I awoke at noon, thoroughly jet lagged. We turned on the TV in time for Trump’s inauguration speech. It felt surreal to be in the same city as him and I watched bewildered as he proceeded to insult everyone surrounding him. As we walked into the lobby I saw my first “Make America Great Again!” hat in person, the bright, unnatural red unnerved me.

Rachel Clyde & Sage Mace

Having a best friend to lift you up when you need lifting and to help you soar when you are dreaming is truly one of our most precious gifts as we grow up. For Rachel Clyde & Sage Mace, a friendship bloomed from a very early age centered around how to serve the world, lots of giggles, and the act of giving back. Both were horrified when they learned of the 32 million modern-day slaves still existing in the world.

They used their determination, persistence, and drive to help formulate ways to strike back on this issue and channel fundraising efforts to stop slavery via their organization Free-Beauty.org. There is a reason people call them Rage (Rachel & Sage)- alone each is special, together they are magnificent. Their story shows how with drive and focus, anyone can see their efforts affect change and impact a problem you care about.

Alexa Ponciano

This is a second go for Alexa Ponciano via TPFG, as last year she wrote a beautiful and honest depiction of her life with her dual diagnosis of a brain tumor and Celiac disease at the early age of 8 years old. And how her survival of both (and currently living with Celiac) has changed the course of her life creating a newfound respect and appreciation for each and every day she has on this earth. Alexa is all about living life to the fullest, having fun, and staying positive. And it is this light within Alexa that immediately drew me to her. She was willing to try anything. She was brave and vocal about her interests and her passions, making sure opportunities and experiences never past her by without a try. We talk to Alexa about her latest venture, WearsAlexa, a blog celebrating her love of fashion and her interest in showing girls ways to strut their personal style. And hey, its oh-so fun to be your own boss and create your own business!